


adrift

by varooooom



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Anal Sex, Basically, Best Friends, Biting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Genderbending, M/M, Marathon Sex, Marks, Multiple Orgasms, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Scratching, Spells & Enchantments, Vaginal Sex, but they're so soft, like it's all filthy sex, somehow both hardcore and softcore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:14:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29037690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/varooooom/pseuds/varooooom
Summary: Merlin turns into a girl and they decide to do fuck all about it.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 90





	1. waking

**Author's Note:**

> sorry, did I say fuck all? I meant to say they decide to fuck about it.
> 
> if someone had told me in the year of our lord 2021 that I'd be writing thousands of words of genderswap smut for a decade-old fandom, I would've said that's weirdly specific but okay. and here we are! 
> 
> there will probably be at least two more parts, maybe three. we'll see.
> 
> a disclaimer: for most of this, Merlin has a vagina. the curse ends and he goes back to his original body. spoilers.

Arthur is warm, chipper, and ready to start his day when he pads from the bath back to his room. The heat from his shower is already being sapped from his skin by the chill air, but it's a distance of only a few feet, something that's never bothered him before. He expects this morning to play out as any other does: waking up early enough to beat the other housemates to the hot water, earning a glare from Merlin as he opens the curtains to their room in a flash of blinding sunlight, then being on his way to work without a hitch in his simple, perfect routine.

Which is why, when he finds the door to his bedroom locked from the inside, Arthur is - quite reasonably, he thinks - cross.

"Merlin, you had best be _dead_ in there or I will kill you myself!" he growls, fist banging on the wood as the other hand grips tighter into the towel wrapped around his waist.

"Go away!" is all he gets in return, Merlin's voice oddly distant as though he's muffling it somehow. "I thought you'd left already anyway!"

"Yes, I left. To the bathroom. To _bathe_ ," Arthur grinds out, enunciating every word with his building frustration. "So unless you expect me to run about naked all day -"

"Just go get breakfast or something and then I'll open the door!" 

Now, there must certainly be something wrong with his voice, Arthur thinks. There's muffled and then there's… this. Whatever this is. As though Merlin's yelling into a pillow and pitching his voice much lower than it normally is. Arthur is baffled and _entirely unamused_. They've been shouting through the door for some time now and it won't be long before one of their flatmates comes stomping down the hall to complain, only to find him naked in the hallway like an idiot or a pervert.

"I am not walking around the house bloody starkers, you twat. What is wrong with you, are you ill or something?" Arthur asks half-heartedly before going back to beating on the door again. "Open this damn door, or I'll kick it in and do your head in next!"

"God, you are such a _prat_ ," Merlin whines, but then Arthur hears the sound of objects crashing around in a manner very typical of the graceless foal stumbling through all the shite he leaves laying around his side of the room. His voice comes from a bit closer to the door but no less awkwardly strained, to Arthur's continued bemusement. "I'll open it, but I swear if you laugh, I'm moving out and you'll have to ask Gwaine to be your new roomie."

Arthur's face scrunches in distaste, but he manages the slightest measure of concern, "Why would I laugh? There _is_ something wrong with you, isn't there? Open the door."

"Remember. Moving out."

Arthur rolls his eyes as he hears the _click_! of the door unlocking. After a lifetime of being near enough to brothers, Arthur is used to Merlin's theatrics, but this is on a new level of aggravating. He wastes no time turning the knob and _finally_ pushing into his room, forcing Merlin to shuffle backwards as the door swings open and reveals him in his current… predicament.

The door closes silently behind him and Arthur is left standing there, gaping.

"You promised," Merlin says with a hint of desperation in his voice, a voice that is much higher and softer than it ought to be - and Arthur truly, sincerely does his best not to laugh. His cheeks burn and he purses his lips tightly, all but biting his tongue to stop from making a sound. 

Merlin, his best mate going on fifteen some odd years, is suddenly a woman.

He's doing his best to hide it, one arm folded protectively across his chest as the other hand fists his now too-large footie shorts around the waistband. But there's no hiding the long, wavy black hair or the way his bony angles have been replaced with curves, impossibly slimmed down from his already thin frame and even a few inches shorter to boot. His face is red and his eyes are downcast with anger and embarrassment, furtively glancing in Arthur's direction a few times before immediately looking away again.

He's a woman. Merlin's turned into a bloody _woman_ , and there are several jokes to be made but Arthur resolutely does. not. laugh.

It's a near enough thing, though.

"You're -" he starts but aborts the sentence before it even gets started, going back to biting his lip instead.

Merlin huffs, "Yeah, yeah. I'm a girl. I should've known it would be too much to ask of you, go ahead and laugh before you hurt yourself."

"No, no, it's -" Arthur manages to choke out, swallowing down his mirth as he takes a few steps closer. "How did this - when - ?"

"Do you think I'd still be here if I knew how to fix it?!" Merlin shouts and tosses his hands in the air in frustration, only realizing his mistake as his shorts and drawers slip to the floor. His arm swiftly goes back across his - _bosom_ \- as the other tugs the bottom of his tank top as low down as he can get it. 

His cheeks go red-hot and he looks away, glaring at the wall as he bites, "Maybe it's a rebound from some spell I cast yesterday. Or maybe there's a witch out there with my name on her shite list, I don't bloody know, Arthur. I don't know what else to do other than wait it out."

For all that his blustering is woefully endearing, Arthur once again scrunches his nose in distaste. "I _do_ hope you're not planning on locking me out of my own room that entire time. It's not like this is _my_ fault."

"How do you know," Merlin spits, turning his glare back on Arthur with every ounce of suspicion from all the pranks they've played on one another across the years. "It probably _is_ your fault, always saying 'don't be such a girl, Merlin' or 'stop being a girl's petticoat.'"

The horrid impression of his voice is enough to push away the last dredges of Arthur's laughter. He rolls his eyes and casually throws his towel at Merlin's head in payback, stalking to his side of the room to find a pair of sweatpants so he can at least be halfway decent for this _utterly bizarre_ conversation. " _You're_ the wizard here, Merlin, you tell me what power my word holds. I've called you a toad just as many times, have you started croaking yet?"

"Maybe that's next, huh?" Merlin says, near enough to hysterics as he stomps angrily after Arthur. "Maybe all your rude and childish insults have come back to haunt me -"

" _Mer_ lin," Arthur drawls, staring up to the ceiling and shaking his head for patience. The magic woo-woo shite is all Merlin's gig; Arthur does his best to try and understand it but it's ultimately an aspect of the world that will never truly make sense to him. Morgana has her dreams and Gaius' home remedies work far better than most modern medicine, but everything beyond that is a total mystery.

Like this. Like Merlin, somehow managing to roll off the female side of the bed this morning.

Arthur turns back to where his childhood friend is shaking in what is likely equal parts fury and misery and sighs. "It can't be all bad, come here."

Merlin glares at him in suspicion, but at Arthur's raised brows and harmless gesturing, he manages the few steps left to stand fully in front of him. His shoulders sag as though preparing for the worst, but Arthur resolutely keeps his eyes raised to a respectable level and searches Merlin's face instead.

"Well, your eyes are certainly the same," he says observationally, placing his fingers under Merlin's chin to make him look up at him. His brows furrow and Arthur smirks, moving his hand to bury in Merlin's hair and give it a playful tug. "Same thick mop of hair, just a bit… or rather a _lot_ longer."

Merlin rolls his eyes, but some of the tension bleeds out of him as he slowly accepts that Arthur isn't about to laugh in his face. Pleased, and letting vague reassurance turn into active curiosity, Arthur takes a step back and brings both hands to Merlin's biceps with a light squeeze.

"Still scrawny as ever, no change there either."

"If this is your way of cheering me up, I may actually cry."

"Shut up, Merlin." The quick retort earns a huff and Arthur smiles. He gently urges the arm away from Merlin's chest by taking hold of his wrist and bringing it down to his side, keeping his fingers loosely wrapped there.

And then _yes_ , okay, now it is essentially impossible to see Merlin's current form as anything other than female. Where the thin straps and long sleeve holes of his tank would ordinarily hint at sports the lanky fool will rarely submit to actually playing, now there are round, perky breasts barely concealed by the thin cotton. The fabric hangs loose around his torso and falls to about mid-thigh with his lost height, leaving long legs faintly covered in hair that lead down to small, nervous toes curling against the carpet.

Arthur only realizes he'd been staring when Merlin starts to squirm in embarrassment and manages a quiet, "Erm…"

His eyes dart back to Merlin's face, to those too-blue eyes that have remained a familiar feature in Arthur's life almost as much as his own in the mirror, and finds something there mixed between shame and wonder.

They've seen each other naked a thousand times before, between swimming pools and locker rooms and now sharing a flat as they struggle to make it through their young adult lives by their own means. They have never had anything to hide from each other, not since the fearful moment Merlin stopped Arthur from breaking his arm falling off the playground in primary school by freezing all of time around them. Everything that came after just seemed trite by comparison.

It's with this thought in mind that Arthur holds Merlin's gaze and moves his hands to his hips, keeps a firm grip there for a moment before sliding along the curve to his narrow waist. Merlin inhales sharply, eyes fluttering shut briefly ( Arthur marvels at the realization that he knows Merlin's facial features well enough to be able to tell his lashes haven't changed and suit him either way ) as a hand comes up to brace himself at Arthur's elbow. 

They lock eyes again, searching - for disgust or rejection, fear or panic; finding intrigue and quiet approval instead - and Arthur finally takes that bold enough step to lift the shirt over Merlin's head.

Turning into a girl doesn't seem to have made Merlin any more graceful, as he somehow manages to get his limbs awkwardly tangled in the fabric and his hair comes away a mess. Arthur chuckles quietly and Merlin pouts in response, another familiar gesture to decry the strangeness of their situation. Merlin is naked now, well and fully in a woman's body, all pale skin and soft curves. His hands go back to Arthur's elbows as if he needs them to stay on his feet, still trembling but with something closer to anticipation and nerves than anger and confusion.

Arthur waits for Merlin to lick his lips and nod, cheeks well beyond beet red, before replacing his left hand on Merlin's hip and cupping his breast in the right. His skin is feather-soft and the weight of it feels natural enough; Arthur swipes his thumb over his nipple and earns a small gasp in reward. Fingertips dig deeper into his arms as Merlin quickly ducks his head, but he doesn't push Arthur away or otherwise suggest that he's uncomfortable with the, ah - development of the situation.

It makes Arthur smile, distantly aware in the back of his mind that this is not something they've ever done together. Sure, perhaps they've had a wank or two to whatever free porn they could find on the web as teens are wont to do. But they've never touched each other, never brought themselves into an intimate space where insecurity and hunger mingle into warm desire. There's an odd vulnerability to this, and Arthur very suddenly realizes that female body or not, the idea of doing this with Merlin feels oddly… normal. Comfortable, albeit strange, and from the way Merlin looks up at him with something like _hope_ in his eyes, Arthur thinks he might be feeling the same.

Arthur lets out a low exhale - Merlin shivers, likely not from the cold - and then slowly lowers himself down enough to take Merlin's other nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicks across it, feeling it perk up in interest, then he gently teeths around the surrounding skin with a light suck. He hears a whisper of his name from above but doesn't stop, repeating the motions as the pads of his fingers squeeze into the soft flesh of Merlin's other breast beside him. Merlin's knees almost buckle, hands darting out to brace on Arthur's shoulders instead, and Arthur hums in approval. 

Whatever it takes to keep him comfortable as they explore this, whatever _this_ is.

Arthur bites his way from one breast to the other, then starts a trail downward with kisses and little nips at chilled skin, moving down _down_ until he is on his knees at Merlin's feet. He looks up only once to find Merlin watching him with wide eyes and parted lips, and takes that as sign enough to continue as he licks his way between Merlin's legs. Natural here too, Arthur thinks as his tongue flicks experimentally across the bundle of nerves at his clit. 

"A-Arthur," Merlin gives a startled cry, followed by a muffled ' _mmph_ ' that Arthur can only hope means he's covered his mouth with a hand. There's a fairly large difference between being caught starkers in the hallway like a pervert and being caught eating out your unexpectedly female roommate.

What the fuck even is Arthur's life.

He makes the quick decision that he doesn't actually care and delves into his task in earnest. He works his tongue over Merlin's cunt, probing as deeply into the soft opening as he can from this angle. When Merlin's shaky legs step incrementally further apart, Arthur takes it as encouragement and slips a finger inside, earning a startled squeak and a hand gripped into his hair. Still not pushing away, perhaps even _pulling_ to some degree, and that's when Arthur becomes aware of his rapidly thickening cock. _Fuck_.

He palms at it with his free hand for a moment's reprieve before moving it to Merlin's hip, bracing there so he can add another finger to the mix in a smooth slide through the slick of Merlin's arousal. His friend makes another muted gasp and places more of his weight on Arthur's head as though he's struggling to stay standing.

"Wait, Arthur, I think - " Merlin tries to warn with a harsh whisper, but Arthur ignores him and continues to tongue around his clit until he hears a strangled cry and feels the velvet walls tighten around his fingers.

He continues still for a few moments after that until the hand in his hair really does start tugging him away with breathless laughter.

"You arse," Merlin gasps. Arthur withdraws and looks up at him with a pleased smirk, licking his lips just to watch the way Merlin somehow manages to blush even further. His embarrassment is endearing after he basically just came on Arthur's face, but Arthur leaves aside all the teasing he could make while Merlin tugs him back up to his feet, not even questioning it as he's pulled into a sloppy kiss.

Merlin licks at the moisture on his lips, chasing the odd taste of himself until he finds Arthur's tongue and chases that too. Arthur grips his hips and pulls him closer, trapping his erection between the both of them, and sighs.

The strength finally seems to leave Merlin's legs as he stumbles back towards his bed, dragging Arthur along with him. Arthur hesitates for just a moment before Merlin snaps a hand around his wrist with a leer.

"You started this, Pratdragon, you had best finish it too." Merlin lifts his chin as though in a challenge and Arthur can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it.

"Are you really insulting me in the same breath as you're asking me to fuck you?" But he follows the fool's beckoning anyway, crawling onto the bed after him with an exasperated sigh, "Honestly, Merlin."

No witty retort follows, and after a lifetime of trying, Arthur learns the first and only way to successfully make Merlin stop talking. Who knew getting him horny would do the trick? Arthur grins and Merlin covers his face with his hands which won't do at all; he presses Merlin back into his pillows, grinning again as Merlin reaches back to support his weight on instinct. 

It earns him a baleful glare, but Arthur delights in the way his petulance is tampered by lust splayed across the newfound roundness to his features. His red, pouty lips are still the same and Arthur finds himself resisting the urge to bite them.

Instead, he turns his attention to taking in the way Merlin's flush spreads across the pale skin of his body. Arthur positions himself comfortably between Merlin's legs and leans in to suck into the plump curve of his breast, just to watch how quickly blood rises to the surface in a faint bruise.

"Oi!" Merlin's half-arsed protest is easy to ignore, particularly when it's followed by a moan and his hips bucking unintentionally as Arthur does it again. Arthur presses his victorious grin into Merlin's skin instead of letting him see his amusement.

He comes to several realizations in this moment, foremost that this is _fun_. It's exciting and it feels good and messing with Merlin has always been one of his favorite pastimes, besides.

The second is that they should've done this _a long time ago_.

He continues teasing at Merlin's skin with his tongue and teeth, distracting him from the two fingers Arthur plunges back into his folds. Arthur has to commend him for having the presence of mind to purse his lips against crying out in surprise and pleasure, if the second jerk of his hips is any indication. 

Still, Arthur makes a shushing noise and claims Merlin's lips with his own as he continues fingering him. The sounds come muted against him instead and each one sends a jolt of arousal coursing through Arthur's body.

Merlin eventually pushes him away with a gasp, whispering harshly, "Enough, you -"

"As the future-Dr. Emrys ought to know," Arthur interrupts, "one of the many marvels of the female body is that the female sex organs can climax multiple times. In rapid succession."

He idly thinks Merlin may actually pass out at some point from blushing so furiously, but he'll only feel guilty at such a juncture. Considering it a well won victory, Arthur gives in to bite playfully at Merlin's lower lip and then continues, "If you don't know when this may wear off, you may as well take advantage of that now."

"Who's the one taking advantage?" Merlin grumbles mostly to himself; Arthur has already moved back down to the marks he left across Merlin's breasts. 

He spends a bit more time there, sucking at a nipple and pushing a third finger inside of him, both answered by another groan that Merlin has to cover with his hand this time, and Arthur then slides further down the bed to meet his buried fingers with his tongue. Merlin _whimpers_ and Arthur gives no mercy, swirling his tongue around the sensitive skin in time with his thrusting hand. 

It seems a shame once again not to be able to see his facial expressions, but Arthur can still feel Merlin's response in his feet planted against the mattress so he can roll his hips, matching Arthur's pace and fucking himself further onto his fingers.

 _Fuck. Fuck._ Arthur doesn't know if he's ever been harder.

This time, when Merlin comes, he gives a _mean_ tug with a fistful of Arthur's hair, something that might hurt more if Arthur wasn't painfully turned on and covered in the rush of Merlin's orgasm. He moans instead and Merlin responds with another jerk, another spasm of his folds and a muffled sob.

Arthur sits back on his heels to catch his breath, and if he wasn't already close to coming, Merlin's ruined expression pushes him right up against the cliff. There are tears in his eyes, face half hidden by the back of one hand, and he stares right back at Arthur with such an openness, an entirely new side of him that Arthur's never seen before. Something vulnerable but demanding, where Arthur may feel as though he's the one in control but perhaps he's only being reeled in on a line by the mischief in Merlin's eyes.

Eyes that turn gold when Merlin does magic. Eyes that are still a deep dark blue now, because whatever magic it is that put them in this situation, it isn't the force that draws them in to each other like gravity. No, this is much simpler.

It's trust. And perhaps, on some level, it's also love - but Arthur quickly shoves that thought into the back of his mind. There are more pressing matters at hand.

Mainly: his dick.

Arthur crawls back up the bed to cover Merlin's body and claim his lips in a hungry kiss. Merlin meets him readily, wrapping his arms around Arthur's shoulders and dragging him in deeper. Fumbling around blindly, Arthur manages to slip his joggers down enough to free his cock, giving it a squeeze to calm himself down just a notch before pressing the tip to Merlin's hole.

He waits a moment, waits long enough for Merlin to open his eyes again with a confused furrow to his brows. Knowing him as he does, Arthur assumes he's caught by the fleeting thought that Arthur might be having second thoughts after all, a ri _dic_ ulous notion that Arthur chooses to dispel by finally _finally_ pressing into that warm-wet space.

A muted groan slips past Arthur's lips despite himself, and Merlin's gasp comes out choked into the warm space between them. The first time can hurt, Arthur knows, and this isn't exactly something Merlin has prior experience with - so he pushes in slowly, holds carefully still, and presses shaky kisses across Merlin's lips and jaw and neck as he tries to adjust to a brand new kind of stretching.

"Breathe," Arthur whispers, nudging the skin behind Merlin's ear with his nose before sucking on it gently, nipping at his earlobe. Merlin trembles and Arthur rolls his hips without pulling out, letting him feel the heavy press of his cock inside him. 

Mouth open on a soundless moan, fingertips digging into Arthur's shoulders - Merlin rocks his hips again, pushing back against Arthur's intrusion.

Arthur swears under his breath and clenches his eyes shut, pressing their foreheads together and starting up a slow rhythm of thrusts, shallow at first before pulling out further and slamming back inside. Merlin makes these little wounded noises that _do things_ to Arthur's cock, making him want to ruin the poor thing until he's a sobbing mess.

But there's always later for that, and Arthur doesn't want to hurt Merlin besides. A new body with new sensations to explore; Merlin should be the one to enjoy it to its fullest extent. 

Really, he ought to be thanking Arthur for being such an extraordinarily good friend.

As though sensing the thought on his mind, Merlin glances at him to roll his eyes and bite Arthur's lip in retaliation for earlier, setting down another challenge as he lifts his chin and licks his lips.

Arthur answers with a grin - and when Merlin's expression drops as Arthur draws away from him to lean back onto his knees, Arthur once again dismisses any concerns by rocking his firm member right back into him at a new angle. Merlin's back arches from the bed and Arthur holds his legs open, pulling at Merlin's thighs at the same time that he thrusts upward, creating a nice push-and-pull rhythm for them. Arthur can move faster, push in deeper, and he gets a much better view of the way Merlin's body bounces on his cock.

 _Fuck_. He's not going to last long like this. 

Merlin goes back to biting the back of one hand to keep himself quiet, so Arthur snags the fingers of the other into his own. Merlin manages to look up at him curiously; Arthur lifts his hand up to place a playful kiss on the shorter, slimmer digits than the fingers that have shoved food and dirt in Arthur's face or swatted at him with childlike aggression - then he lowers them between their bodies to press Merlin's own fingertips against his clit. He makes a startled whimper and Arthur laughs quietly, shushes him again as he holds his hand there, Arthur's thrusts forcing them to keep rubbing over that sensitive spot.

Shutting his eyes and shaking his head, Merlin pours every ounce of self control he has left into swallowing the myriad of noises Arthur can see written across his face. It's maddening and wonderful and Arthur can't help but want to push him even further.

( Merlin always calls him a bully and he thinks, perhaps at least in this regard, Arthur can agree. )

He releases Merlin's hand and gives a low grunt of approval when Merlin keeps it there on his own, little hitches of his breath as he works himself over. Fuck him, but Merlin is beautiful like this. Dark hair splayed in a mess beneath him, the glow of sex and sweat across his skin, the scrunch of his eyes that seems so very familiar between laughter and an orgasm.

All things that are quintessentially Merlin, but with several _considerable_ differences. And Arthur is considering them. He idly puts a hand below Merlin's navel, where there is only smooth skin instead of a spattering of wiry black hair, and pushes with just enough pressure to bring attention to the strange place where he's buried within Merlin's body. He takes a full-handed grip of one breast, enjoying the give of soft flesh beneath his fingers compared to hardened muscle.

There are bruises that he put there, and he idly wonders if he'll end up leaving more, if Merlin will walk around with the marks of what they're doing written into his skin even after his body returns to normal, and _fuck_ , Arthur's totally done for.

"Merlin, I'm gonna -" is all Arthur manages to breathe out before Merlin's legs wrap around his waist, pulling him in deeper and trapping him in place for a horrible, suspended moment of stillness. Arthur chokes on his next exhale. The cheeky little shite manages to give Arthur a sloppy grin, still trying him even as Arthur fucks him into his own bed. 

"Contrary to outward appearances and whatever rattles around in that empty head of yours, I am not _actually_ a girl, so," Merlin rasps with a teasing smirk, as though he finds himself terribly clever when he mimics Arthur's words, "you may as well take advantage of that now."

 _Filthy pervert_ , and that shouldn't be a surprise with Merlin's juvenile humor and lack of basic decorum, but surprised Arthur is. He takes the moment's respite to lower himself again, pressing their foreheads together and ( barely ) catching his breath between them.

"You are a _goddamn menace_ , Merlin," Arthur swears.

Merlin wraps his arms around Arthur's neck and smiles up at him, "Don't be such a romantic, Arthur, just _fuck me_."

And who is he to say no? Arthur gives in to biting those plump red lips once again, kissing Merlin with teeth and tongue and fucking into him at the same time. He was already right at the edge, but with Merlin clinging to him and moaning against him, Arthur only manages a few more thrusts before he's coming, coming inside as Merlin had all but asked him to.

" _Fuck_ ," he whispers, "fuck, Merlin - _fuck_."

Merlin laughs in response, light and delirious in his fucked out bliss, and Arthur finds himself exhaling an amused huff too. Seems a bit hypocritical when Merlin's apparently deepest anxiety came from the idea of Arthur laughing at him ( and a startling lack thereof at the idea of them _having sex_ ), so Arthur decides to pay his best mate one last favor of the moment.

Still gasping for breath, barely coming down from the rush of his own orgasm, Arthur stays buried to the hilt in Merlin's body and sits back just enough to be able to rub his clit with his thumb gently. Merlin's laughter immediately chokes off into a strained whine, slapping aimlessly Arthur's arms.

"Arthur, you prat, _stop_ ," he tries to no avail; Arthur ignores him and continues spreading the moisture between them over that now hypersensitive spot seated just above where Arthur's girth holds him open, watching as Merlin's legs and hips twitch in protest. " _Arthur_."

It's a proper whine then, almost outright begging, and still Arthur ignores him. He's already oversensitized himself, but he keeps his cock firmly rooted inside until Merlin cries out and Arthur feels him tighten around his prick in pulses. Only then, as they're both gasping to catch their breaths and come down from the electric shock of their orgasms, does Arthur finally pull himself free from Merlin's body.

Exhaustion takes over adrenaline and Arthur collapses onto the bed beside Merlin, carefully releasing long shaky breaths until his heart slows its frantic racing. When he's capable of higher thinking again, he opens his eyes to check on Merlin, who hasn't moved an inch from his position: legs splayed open, chest ( _bosom_ ) heaving, head turned against the pillow away from Arthur's side. And yet again, that just won't do.

He places a hand at Merlin's hip, rubbing slow circles with his thumb, and presses a chaste kiss to his shoulder. Merlin's breath hiccups but he doesn't otherwise move in response, so Arthur murmurs a low, " _Mer_ lin."

Only then does he deign to respond, straightening his gaze to look up at the ceiling rather than Arthur, but that's good enough for him to catch the redness of his eyes to match his rosy cheeks. There's moisture there and _ah_ , perhaps Arthur had made a sobbing mess of him after all. _Whoops_? Maybe he's a bully and a bastard at that.

Arthur hides his quietly pleased smile by kissing his shoulder again. "All right?"

"Shut up, no. I hate you," Merlin answers quickly with no heat; it's hard to sound properly angry when his voice is not only higher pitched than his normal gruff but laced with labored breathing and sex-daze.

This time, Arthur grins and bites Merlin's shoulder just hard enough for Merlin to make a small noise of complaint, "No, you don't." 

With that, and one more kiss to the faint teeth marks he left behind, Arthur rolls off the side of the bed and tucks himself back into his sweats before setting out in search of his abandoned towel. 

Merlin groans and rubs at his eyes with both palms, "Gods, I should've _known_ you'd be good at this and a bloody prick about it too."

"Oh, so you admit I'm good at it then?" Arthur retorts, tone dripping with amusement and well earned pride, thank you very much. 

"I admit that your experience as a slag is paying off for once."

"You're being rather mouthy for someone with my come inside them. By request, might I remind you."

It is fan _tas_ tic to know that being openly vulgar is enough to embarrass Merlin into silence, a dangerous power Arthur stores away for good use later. As it is, he spares the dear fool at least some measure of his nonexistent dignity and holds back from teasing him further… for now.

Instead, he finds his towel and sits at the foot of Merlin's bed, earning a wordless grumble when he moves Merlin's legs this way or the other to clean up the mess they've made of him. It is still so shockingly strange to see a vagina between his legs, despite having spent time getting intimately familiar with it. With Merlin's arm covering his face, Arthur can almost be tricked into believing he's someone else, some other sex-addled bird laying helplessly atop Merlin's now filthy sheets.

But it's not. It's Merlin, the scrawny twit Arthur hasn't been able to shake himself loose of, the loud-mouthed, large-eared, poorly mannered idiot that fills Arthur's life with nonsense and magic. 

Different body or not, it's still Merlin - and Arthur wonders if that ought to bother him, if he shouldn't be quite so calm and collected after shagging the brains out of his best mate. The thought strikes him again that they should've done this _ages_ ago. 

Best not to dwell on that too long, though. Once Arthur's satisfied he's done all he can, he discards the towel on the floor and walks to his side of the room. Time to resume their regular morning routine.

By throwing the curtains open to a flood of blinding light. Merlin hisses in disapproval, rolling away from the window and curling into a ball in protest. It's so perfectly _Merlin_ despite the strange circumstances that Arthur finally does laugh. 

The sound makes Merlin glare over his shoulder, "I hate you."

"Again: no you don't." Arthur flashes him a sly grin and goes back to his wardrobe for work clothes this time. He says conversationally, as though there's no urgency to the situation, "We've lost quite a bit of time but if you hurry, you might still catch your morning lecture."

It takes a moment for the words to connect, and then Merlin jolts upright like he's been shocked alive. "Oh shite, I have class!"

"There it is," Arthur tuts fondly and starts changing, shucking his sweatpants off for his briefs. "To think, the first time I've ever been late to anything and it's because you needed… seen to."

Merlin jumps out of bed ( and tries to hide the groan he makes at standing again; Arthur chooses not to comment on it ) and starts hopping around his mess of a floor in search of everything he needs to get ready. 

"Shut up! Argh, you are such a," he thinks for a second, losing track of what he was doing, then throws his hands up in frustration, "a _clotpole_!"

"Yes, dear," Arthur says flatly, slipping into a dress shirt while keeping an eye on Merlin to appreciate the way his knockers bounce around as he frantically searches for clothes that might still fit him. "What are you going to tell the others?"

"To mind their own bloody business," Merlin grumbles, sighing in defeat before putting on his smallest pair of pants and shimmying into some skinny jeans. He makes a face as he straightens back out and Arthur has to turn away to stop himself from bursting into knowing laughter. He may have tried his best to clean up but perhaps Merlin didn't realize he couldn't get _everything_.

Reading Arthur's hidden mirth anyway, Merlin turns a glare on him, as though still accusing Arthur for everything. "Or maybe I'll try to pull one over on them. Gimme one of your jerseys."

"What's this, now? One of your 'foolproof' schemes?"

" _Yes_ , now give it over."

"Sorry, did I say 'foolproof'? I meant foolish," Arthur chides. Merlin has always been one for elaborate cover ups that are com _plete_ ly transparent, when it would've been easier just to own up from the start. 

Still, Arthur finds one of his jerseys from uni, balls it up, and chucks it at Merlin. He squawks in surprise as it hits him in the chest and Arthur laughs victoriously, going back to dressing himself. Merlin huffs and pulls on a shirt before slipping into Arthur's cotton-hooded jumper that hangs large and shapeless off of Merlin's now slim frame. It's not quite enough to hide the curve of his breasts or the cascade of black hair, but it's nondescript enough.

It won't fool anyone, but it's an admirable thought. And Arthur can't deny enjoying the sight of Merlin like this, messy and flushed and drowning in Arthur's clothes.

Merlin raises his hands, where his fingers are just barely poking out of the sleeve cuffs, and gives Arthur his five quid grin, his tell for every bad bet he's ever made. "That's not bad, right? I'll just zip past 'em and let them think I'm some bird you pulled last night doing the walk of shame."

Arthur quirks a brow. "Aside from the 'last night' part, isn't that exactly what you're doing?"

The barely-contained shriek of frustration Merlin makes is wholly worth the teasing. "Arthur, you insufferable git! You're supposed to be helping me."

"I thought I already had done," but then it seems Merlin may actually scream, so Arthur relents and crosses the room with a chuckle. Merlin folds his arms over his chest angrily before he reaches him, so Arthur instead brushes Merlin's hair over one shoulder and lifts up the hood. It's large enough to come down over Merlin's forehead, casting his eyes into shadow but doing nothing for the bright red swell of his lips.

Arthur stares for a few seconds and then kisses them gently, not the insistent demanding from earlier but a simple gesture of affection that just feels… natural, in the moment. Merlin releases a soft exhale when Arthur pulls back an inch, enough for them to breathe into each other and for Arthur to catch the crisp blue of Merlin's eyes searching his face. Questioning, excited, confused, _eager_.

This close, in this form, it's like Arthur's the only one that gets to see Merlin. And he realizes then that he quite likes the idea. 

A small, shy smile spreads across Merlin's lips and cheeks. Arthur smiles quietly in return, "Yeah, it's not all bad."

* * *

Arthur is downstairs in the kitchen preparing coffee and lunch when Merlin finally comes down from freshening up in the loo. His long hair covers the side of his face and his feminine figure is still obvious beneath his rumpled appearance, but he does his best to not bring attention to himself.

Lance is already there too, leaning against the kitchen island with headphones in as he watches the news on his phone and peels an orange. No one looks up as Merlin hurriedly rushes past, head ducked and rucksack clutched for dear life in front of him as he goes. Arthur spares one glance down the hall as the door closes before going back to his coffee, pouring it into a thermos and adding a drop of cream.

A few moments later, Lance tugs out an earbud, eyes trained on the front door where Merlin just left the house.

"Was that Merlin?" he asks plainly, and Arthur nearly chokes out laughing at how immediately Merlin's poorly planned disguise failed. All their housemates know of his magic, else they wouldn't've trusted living with them in the first place, but Lance's particular nonchalance for the weirdest of it never ceases to amaze Arthur.

"You could tell?" Arthur retorts instead, clearly amused but otherwise presenting an air of disregard.

Lance is quiet a few more seconds before he asks, again in the same unassuming voice, "Did you two have sex?"

This time, Arthur does choke. His cough is nowhere near convincing to cover it up, but before he can get blustery over it, Lance does him a mercy and looks over with a shrug.

"I heard you both yelling this morning but couldn't catch why. Neither of you came downstairs after that, and then…" Lance trails off, his gaze going back toward the door. "Well, there are signs, if you know what you're looking at."

There's some sort of a tease or a joke to make about Lance's apparent knowledge of calling out a former virgin when he sees one, but Arthur is too stunned and flustered to say anything. When no answer seems forthcoming, Lance shrugs again, pops his earbud back in, and says casually before eating an orange slice, "It's about time anyway."

Yes. Apparently it is.


	2. sleeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur may be ridiculous but in fairness, Merlin started it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is like 90% banter, 10% filthy fucking, and 100% Soft
> 
> I hate them ugh

It's late in the evening when Merlin stumbles back into their room, which is nothing out of the ordinary all things considered. Given the strangeness of their current circumstances, Arthur's been ( obsessively ) reflective enough to realize they've fallen into a nightly routine just as much as the mornings.

Arthur's already washed up after his evening workout, sat at the one desk they could fit into the room in shorts and a tee as he studies up on work materials before bed. 

Merlin crashes through the door and slams it shut behind him without it making a sound, a helpful trick he picked up in the early days of sneaking in and out of each other's homes. In typical fashion, he makes a beeline for his bed, leaving a trail of mayhem behind him. He drops his bag to the floor first, grumbles as he squirms free of his trousers, then tears his top off to let everything land where it may, finally flopping face first into his blankets with a miserable groan.

Only today is quite unlike any other day, and it seems Merlin didn't calculate the difference into his ritual behavior.

His narrow hips don't give as much resistance and Merlin ends up shucking his pants down with his jeans, awkwardly fumbling mid-step as he tries to cover his arse again. He gets caught in the pool of Arthur's jumper and, bless him, but he forgets about the length of his hair and winds up ten kinds of tangled before flopping helplessly onto the side of his bed.

Arthur watches this all take place over the course of about thirty seconds, stunned as ever to bear witness to such a natural human disaster. He doesn't think to respond until he hears a defeated whimper come from the pile of fabric and hair, and he commends his own self-restraint for not immediately laughing.

"All right, love?" Arthur asks instead, unable to fully hide the amusement in his voice.

"Fuckin' peachy," comes an immediate response, dripping with vitriol despite being yelled into Merlin's mattress. "I'm dead beat, work was a nightmare, I had to dodge a call from my mum, and orright, if you haven't forgotten, _I'm bloody stuck in a girl's body_."

There's a brief moment of silence before the angry tirade is followed by an over dramatic sob.

"And now I'm gonna suffocate in my own hair and my mum's gonna have to bury me in a dress."

Arthur rolls his eyes, "Oh, you poor thing. Never has anyone suffered a more miserable fate." Merlin huffs indignantly and Arthur chuckles, decides to go easy on him. "I'll help you out of it, if you can manage your feet long enough to come over here."

Merlin sits up and concedes defeat to the jersey by simply wrestling it back on until his head pokes out the top, giving him the freedom to fix Arthur with an angry glare. Arthur raises his hands in surrender, presenting the very image of innocence as he gets up and walks over to his bed. He sits on the edge with his legs spread, patting the space in between his knees for Merlin to sit down.

It takes a moment of consideration - and Arthur can see even across the room as a slow flush creeps onto Merlin's face - before he rises to unsteady feet, clutching his jeans where they're still unzipped. Arthur waits with a patient smile as Merlin finds his way over, shuffling through his mess and possibly kicking his feet a bit extra in unsubtle hesitation.

When he's finally within reach, Arthur snags him by the waistband and pulls him to stand directly in front of him. Arthur looks up to find Merlin staring back down at him, face gone to a full blush as the tangle of his hair cascades around him. He manages to look shy and eager at the same time; Arthur smirks a little, as he can well imagine what may be on the idiot's mind.

At this angle, Arthur is eye-level with Merlin's hips, a rather _inviting_ position, to be sure. But he is only here to help, free of any other ulterior motives altogether.

Naturally. Of course. 

Which doesn't mean he can't tease Merlin though, so he makes certain to lick his lips before turning his gaze to Merlin's crotch. Arthur runs his fingers just below the elastic waistband of Merlin's underwear, just enough to tease at the sensitive skin there before slipping only the jeans free from his hips. Merlin surprisingly cooperates in silence as Arthur gently works the legs down until Merlin can step out of them completely. 

After tossing them back to Merlin's side of the room, Arthur looks up again and Merlin is still watching him, still looking at him with trust and a quiet hope in his eyes. 

_Ah_ , so they're both done for at this point.

Arthur smiles and Merlin returns it in kind, ducking his head bashfully when Arthur spins him around and guides him to sit within the crook of his hips. Staying on task for the time being, Arthur carefully starts lifting the lower edge of the jersey so as to leave Merlin's shirt in place for the most part. He seems to cotton on eventually, tugging the shirt down before lifting his arms to help Arthur release him from his bonds at long last. 

At Merlin's deep sigh of relief, Arthur thinks that maybe he is being a bit of a twat about all this. As much as he expects Merlin to be the expert in all things magic, it should stand to reason that trying to go about your daily life without revealing such a dramatic thing about yourself is stressful and exhausting.

Much like trying to hide the fact you've got magic in the first place. Arthur remembers that sigh of relief too, of finally having someone to share this immense secret, of finding people Merlin didn't have to hide around.

This is sort of similar, right? Only Merlin's back to trying to hide from the world, and only Arthur gets to see him ease that weight off his shoulders at the end of the day. Only Arthur gets to see him like this, soft and beautiful and drained by vulnerability.

Arthur keeps this thought in mind as he starts brushing Merlin's hair back with his fingers until he can find the exposed skin of Merlin's neck to place a gentle, placating kiss there. Merlin tenses in surprise at first, then seems to melt as his shoulders relax and his hands find Arthur's knees, resting on something sturdy for a moment of peace. Arthur kisses him softly a few more times before leaning back just enough to go back to combing through Merlin's hair.

It's a challenge without having a proper brush, but it's unlikely anyone in the house might have one and it's not like Arthur's getting up to ask besides. His hands will have to make do, so he threads his fingers through Merlin's tangled hair as carefully as he can to get it back to some form of manageable. When it's more or less straight enough, Arthur splits bits of it into sections and starts weaving them together; Merlin makes a surprised yelp and leans away on instinct but Arthur's grip on his hair is tight enough to stop him from going too far.

"Oi, what are you doing now?" Merlin asks with an entirely unfounded deep suspicion. 

( Well, maybe not _entirely_ unfounded. )

Arthur keeps his voice matter-of-fact and continues in spite of Merlin's hesitation, "It's called a French braid, _Mer_ lin, and it'll keep you from strangling yourself in your sleep."

"A French braid?" His voice sounds dubious at best, and Arthur might swat him for it if his hands weren't already tangled in his work. "How would _you_ know how to do a French braid?"

"I'll have you know I'm very good at it, because I'm good at _everything_ ," Arthur retorts, earning a huff in response. He smiles and keeps going, not quite fast but certainly efficient and doing his best not to hurt Merlin in the process. "If you'll remember, I grew up with the living gargoyle that is Morgana. We had no one else in the house, so she forced me to learn all kinds of rubbish to keep her happy."

It sounds like a complaint, but anyone that knows them well knows how deeply Arthur loves his sister. Without each other, they'd've had nothing at all in that vast, empty manor.

Arthur sighs, more fondly than he'd like to admit, "She said it'd be a neat trick to impress girls one day. First time I've actually put it to practice, though." He gives a teasing tug of Merlin's hair as he joins both sides of the braid at the nape of his neck. "Is it working?"

Merlin gives a comical hum of consideration, but Arthur can hear the smile in his voice when he quietly answers, "It's not half bad, I s'ppose."

Arthur clicks his tongue in affront, lightly bites at the same place he'd kissed Merlin's neck earlier, then laughs at the idiot's surprised squeak. It's not long before he finishes the braid, pinching the end of it to hold it together.

"We'd need a proper tie to stop it from falling apart. I think there might be an elastic band in the desk if you want me to look."

"No," Merlin answers too quickly, tensing up again as his hands grip Arthur's knees. He can't see Merlin's face but Arthur has a perfect view of where the red creeps across his neck all the way to his ears; he silently smiles and waits to hear Merlin speak again nervously. "Erm, that is - I mean, this is kind of nice, if we can just… stay here for a minute. If that's okay?"

It's such a tragically endearing request after all they've done today that Arthur rests his forehead against Merlin's shoulder just to breathe between them for a moment. He shakes his head, kisses Merlin's neck once more, then releases the braid to wrap his arms around Merlin's waist instead.

He's so _small_ like this. Much as Arthur is loathe to admit it, Merlin's a few inches taller than him, although he's got nothing on Arthur for mass or muscle. They're usually neck and neck, able to give each other hell in a fight ( that Arthur will inevitably win eventually ). Now, with all of his awkward scrawniness presented in its female form, Merlin is softer and smaller and Arthur could wrestle him into the ground without blinking.

Or into a mattress, as it were. 

Arthur shakes his head again and hooks his chin over Merlin's shoulder to hold him closer, "You could've just said you wanted a cuddle."

"Ugh, you are the _worst_ ," Merlin gripes, but his hands come up to rest over Arthur's at his belly. They stay there like that, Arthur pressing the occasional kiss or nibble along the chilly, pale skin exposed by Merlin's oversized tee, until Merlin finally speaks again. 

"Thank you," he whispers, then shifts a little in his vague discomfort for saying it aloud. "For not, y'know. Being a total arse about all this."

"Oh? I thought I was the worst," Arthur teases. He can practically hear Merlin roll his eyes.

"You are!" Merlin swats at one of Arthur's knees. "I'm trying to thank you for being nice to me for once, you prat."

"Mm," Arthur hums in response, confirmation and consideration both as he noses behind Merlin's ear and along the length of his neck. "I can't say I'm not getting my own enjoyment out of the situation, though."

To say the _very_ least. Merlin heats up and Arthur chuckles lightly, slips his hands casually beneath Merlin's tee to replace them against bare skin as he holds Merlin in his arms. Merlin shivers but doesn't shift away at all, even seems to go more slack in Arthur's grasp as his weight presses into Arthur's chest.

The dolt was right. This _does_ feel kind of nice. Woes be for them both.

"Erm, about that," Merlin starts, then stops. Typical of anything he wants to say without wanting to say it, so Arthur waits him out by squeezing his arms around him gently and then sliding his hands to Merlin's hips, warm and steadying against his skin. A shaky exhale escapes from him, and perhaps that did the trick. "So what, um… what happens, when I change back?"

Reminding himself to take it easy on Merlin, Arthur holds in a sigh or a tease as the easy answers. Instead he keeps his tone soft and draws his fingers gently along Merlin's sides. "To this, you mean?"

Merlin shivers again, and his voice is more breathless when he responds, "Y-yeah. That."

"Hmm," Arthur hums in faux-contemplation. He found his own answer to this question near immediately this morning, and while Arthur's almost certain Merlin feels the same, the overly emotional fool can dance himself in circles with second-guesses and hidden insecurities. Arthur knows him too well, which honestly should be answer enough.

So yes, Arthur can be understanding, but Arthur can also be - as Merlin puts it - a prat.

"Well," Arthur intentionally lets Merlin feel the slide of his fingertips as he shifts his hands back to Merlin's hips. He leans away from Merlin to see where his arse is pressed up against Arthur's slowly thickening cock, then grips Merlin's hips tightly to be able to rock into him suggestively. "There are always other holes we can use."

Merlin chokes, and Arthur can't tell if it's torn between a laugh or a moan. "You," he blurts out, loses sight of his complaint and finishes with a tame, "you _dollophead_! You know that's not what I'm asking!"

"I know," Arthur answers with his own laughter, kept light and airy to remind Merlin he's not mocking him but well and truly _enjoying_ this. 

He pulls them close again, this time by bringing his hands all the way up beneath Merlin's shirt to grope at his chest playfully. Merlin gasps and this time it is _clearly_ a moan, as he curves backwards against Arthur's chest and pushes into his hands. Arthur wonders idly where Merlin learned all this, or if his body just naturally knows when to arch and roll and shake in all the right places. He feels so _good_ and Arthur swears he's ruined forever.

Instead of admitting to anything so readily though, Arthur kisses all over Merlin's neck while he rubs and squeezes his breasts, toying at them without any urgency to it. "We can do whatever you want, Merlin," he says gruffly, voice low and soothing. "We can continue or we can stop any time you like."

Merlin's quiet for a moment - aside from tiny hitches of his breath - before he asks softly, "Any time?"

"Any time," Arthur repeats in confirmation, then pauses and adds, "Within all legal bounds, of course."

It takes a minute for Merlin to find the punchline in the dual interpretations of his offer, and then laughter bursts out of him, bright and honest in sharp contrast to his nervousness. He slaps at Arthur's arms in protest and Arthur grins his victory, holds him tight and bites hard into the junction of Merlin's neck and shoulder. Merlin yelps and tries to squirm away, then cries out again in surprised pleasure as Arthur tugs both of his nipples at once.

Any resistance further melts away beneath Arthur's hands and Merlin sags against him in defeat. "You are ridiculous and impossible, Arthur Pendragon," he says, words dripping with fond exasperation.

Arthur nips at Merlin's neck and ear to murmur words he's said a million times that feel different now, that come out smooth and natural and more confident than he truly feels, "You love it."

Not waiting for a response ( near certain he knows the answer but not necessarily ready to hear it ), Arthur strings the words into a deeper tease by dragging his right hand down Merlin's abdomen as the left continues aimlessly massaging his breast. His fingers slip right past the elastic band of Merlin's pants to probe further down until he can find Merlin's slit, gently stroking back and forth until a finger slides between his lips.

Merlin's whole body jolts taut and he lets out a whispery cry, right hand rising to clutch at Arthur's bicep as he works down his front. "Y-yeah…"

Arthur's not sure what he means, if he's responding after all or if he's just making noise. Either way is fine by him, so he sucks playfully at Merlin's neck and lets his fingertip slip over his clit just the once. "Yeah?"

" _Fuck_ , yeah," Merlin gasps with a breath between words, like it's strain enough to speak at all. 

His body writhes in pleasure and Arthur can feel every movement like this, every twitch or jerk and the rise and fall of his chest. It's exhilarating and Arthur can't help but continue teething at Merlin's neck to keep himself grounded there instead of rolling them over right away. He pushes deeper and slides his fingers along the inner lips where Merlin is more sensitive.

Merlin's fingers find Arthur's sleeve and grip into it as he rasps, " _Arthur_."

"You're _wet_ , Merlin," Arthur responds smoothly, swirling his fingers around before slipping one inside to the first knuckle, just barely intruding. "Are you getting excited for something?"

"Shut uh - ah, _ah_!"

The customary protest is cut short halfway as Arthur presses two of his fingers inside, one word drawn into several syllables while Merlin tries and fails to stop his voice as they thrust into him. Arthur chuckles, but he's hungry too and there's only so much a man can take. He glances at the door and a thought strikes him.

"You know that thing you do with the door?"

"The what?" Merlin asks, a bewilderment in his voice as though he can't even fathom the concept of a _door_ at the moment.

Arthur supposes he can forgive him that while he's fingering him. "The spell. To make it quiet as it shuts."

"Oh," Merlin manages helpfully, "yeah."

He has to laugh then, just a little, dropping his forehead to Merlin's shoulder again. Arthur withdraws his fingers to go back to circling Merlin's lips and clit. There's a small sound of disappointment immediately replaced by a high pitched keening, the only real reason Arthur is attempting to have this conversation.

"Do you think you can do that to the whole room? Make it quiet?"

Arthur can tell the exact moment Merlin figures out what Arthur means by the soft _oh_ and the way he ducks his head in embarrassment. "I can try."

"Let me see," Arthur says quickly, removing his hand from Merlin's pants altogether ( earning a _very_ vocal noise of reproach ) to reach for Merlin's chin instead. He sits up and tilts Merlin toward him so he can see his eyes, can watch as ocean blue flares into molten gold, there and gone again like a lightning strike.

Beautiful. And in this moment, rather breathtaking too. Arthur's lips part in muted awe and Merlin's gaze drops to them, draws them both together as they kiss messily from this angle. 

Something shifts between them suddenly, like a switch flipped in the direction of _ravenous_. 

Merlin twists further in Arthur's direction, so Arthur makes more space for him by withdrawing his hands and repositioning to pull Merlin in closer, as close as they can get with him still cradled between his hips. They kiss and lick and bite at each other until they're both breathless, and Arthur breaks the silence first.

"Do you know if it worked?"

"No clue," Merlin admits, but his dopey smile suggests he cares about as much as Arthur does at this point.

"Suppose we'll find out if they come knocking, hm?" Arthur nips one more time at Merlin's lips before tapping his thighs in a signal to stand up. 

It takes a bit of manouvering for both of them to get to their feet, not half because of a shakiness in Merlin's legs that Arthur is well pleased to be responsible for, and then Arthur traps Merlin there in front of him by tugging him back by the hips. His erection presses firmly into the soft cheeks of Merlin's arse; Arthur holds him tightly in place and rocks against him a few times, both for the blessed relief of it and to hear the way Merlin's breath skips in anticipation.

Again, he has to dismiss the impulse to simply shove Merlin down and have his way with him. They've got time, ' _any time_ ,' so Arthur would be bereft were they not to make the most of this moment. This opportunity to be together in a way they never have before, likely never will again.

That is: through Merlin's warm-wet cunt as it's ready and waiting for Arthur.

 _Fuck_. Here we go again.

Arthur doesn't waste much time with Merlin's clothes this go around, at least. They discard of his shirt easily enough, and when Arthur reaches for his pants, Merlin beats him to it by squirming out of them and boldly pressing his bare arse back against Arthur's cock. Arthur goes breathless for a moment and grabs his hips to make him stop _writhing_ there like a fiend.

Merlin giggles quietly - actually bloody giggles, the utter _girl_ that he is - and Arthur takes that as sign of how they're playing this one.

He bites Merlin's shoulder, taking note of the marks that are starting to bloom there, then roughly shoves him face first toward his own bed.

"Oi!" Merlin protests half-heartedly, stumbling to his hands and knees on the mattress. Arthur doesn't answer him, only stops long enough to tear his own shirt off before climbing onto the bed to kneel behind him. Merlin's expression changes completely, from feigned indignation to realization and yearning, _craving_.

Arthur grins mischievously down at him, places both hands at Merlin's hips to give a firm, promising squeeze, then slides one along the small of his back. Merlin shivers from head to toe and Arthur feels the vibration under his own skin. With a low exhale, he says, "Raise your hips, lower your head."

He halfway expects Merlin to give his usual gripe about Arthur being "bossy," if only to cover for how terribly exposed this leaves him - but Merlin bites his lip, turns away from Arthur's view, and does as instructed. What remains of the braid's tail slides over his shoulder as Merlin lowers himself to his elbows, and then he shifts his rear back towards Arthur while spreading his knees apart.

It makes Arthur go dizzy for a second, fighting the aching urge to squeeze his cock so he can keep his hands on Merlin. He should be getting a gold bloody medal for his self restraint, honestly. As it is, Arthur takes a deep inhale, exhales slowly, and then keeps his touch gentle as he lets his hands explore.

He traces the plump curve of Merlin's arse and takes both cheeks into hand, giving a light squeeze just to watch the way his handprint glows red against pale white for a moment before fading. There's really no need to, not from this angle, but Arthur slips his thumbs between Merlin's cheeks and spreads him a little bit more to fully expose both of his soft, pink holes.

Arthur just barely catches the sound of a gasp before Merlin turns his head away, forehead resting on his folded arms, and that won't do. Hiding his face as well as wasting their efforts at discretion?

That just won't do at all.

His forefinger taps at Merlin's arse as Arthur purrs teasingly, "Merlin." 

When a muted ' _mm_ ' is all he gets in response, Arthur gives a nice _squeeze_ and spreads him even further. Merlin squeaks and it's only nominally more satisfying as an answer, so Arthur prods a little further.

"Do you suppose you know why I asked you to do your little magic trick?"

There's a mumble as though Merlin may have actually said some words directly into his arms. 

Arthur's smile turns sly; he pushes his hands from Merlin's arse along the smooth curve of his back to his shoulders, drawing a shaky exhale from him. "I couldn't quite hear you there, so I'll be perfectly clear - " 

And then he snakes one hand into the crux of the braid ( he can always fix it later ), gripping it tight and pulling Merlin's head toward him as Arthur drapes across his back, murmuring close by, "I want to hear you scream. Preferably my name, but anything else is fine too."

Merlin huffs in what could have been laughter if his eyes weren't watering or his body wasn't trembling. _Fuck_ , Arthur wants to ruin him so badly.

Instead, he kisses Merlin's shoulder before turning back to him with a suggestive smile, "Yeah?"

Merlin purses his lips and tries to look away, can't go far because of the hand in his hair so he closes his eyes and lets his cheeks burst instead. He doesn't say anything, but he manages a shaky nod, the picture of shy and eager.

 _There we go_ , that's more like it. Arthur bites his lower lip to stop himself from grinning like a loon, then nibbles at Merlin's shoulder before disappearing back down the length of his body. He drags his hands along the slope of Merlin's spine, lightly scratching at the smooth expanse of skin to watch the trill of pleasure that vibrates from Merlin's head to his toes. 

_Very_ interesting, and good to note for later. For now, Arthur stops teasing and goes back to where he was, hands holding Merlin open as he licks a broad stripe across Merlin's slit. 

Merlin's body jerks forward and a startled cry leaves his lips, which is a good start at least, so Arthur does it again and again. Finds his clit and starts there as he does it _again_ , and there, _finally_ , Merlin gives a proper moan that goes straight to Arthur's cock.

It's like they're electrified again, both coming to life in a feverish rush of pleasure. Merlin gasps as Arthur swirls his tongue over and around his opening, then jerks as Arthur probes in with the tip, "A-Arthur…"

That's rather fun, Arthur thinks with a buzzing in his bones, so he stiffens his tongue and starts working Merlin open, licking and thrusting and sucking until Merlin's every breath is audible. He hears quiet whispers of ' _oh_ ' and ' _gods_ ' and ' _fuck_ ' and yes, yeah, that is. That's good.

 _Fuck_.

Caught between selfishly wanting Merlin to come so he can fuck him and selflessly _wanting Merlin to come_ , Arthur licks his way in deeper until he has to pause to take a breath. Never one to waste an opportunity though, Arthur rubs his forefinger through the wet of Merlin's arousal and pushes it into his hole before withdrawing it and replacing it with his mouth again. 

He uses his slicked finger to inch a bit higher and gently circle the rim of Merlin's arsehole, earning a surprised gasp and a buck of his hips. Arthur doesn't push inside, simply spreads the moisture around in a reminder and perhaps a promise too. He hears another muted whisper of his name and fuck him, if he isn't gonna come in his pants at this rate.

In one smooth motion, Arthur slips his hand from Merlin's arse to plunge his second two fingers inside his cunt, holding him full and open for a second before he starts thrusting. Arthur is relentless, even as Merlin starts canting his hips and swearing, but before he can crouch down to put his mouth back to work, a hand shoots out to grab his wrist.

"Don't get me wrong, this feels - amazing," Merlin says with a gasp in his voice, "but if you don't stop teasing me and put it in soon…"

He trails off, fingers sliding away, and Arthur wonders if embarrassment got the better of him. Something wicked tugs at the corners of his mouth. Keeping his hand rooted inside Merlin's body, he straightens out to kneel right behind him again.

"Then what, Merlin?" Arthur asks as his fingers continue fucking into him at a leisurely pace. Merlin just asked him to hurry up and fuck him, _again_ , he's well within rights to tease on this one. "If I don't put it in soon, what will you do?"

Merlin doesn't answer. Arthur tuts and pushes a third finger inside his tight hole; Merlin hips jerk, head thrown back with a loud gasp. There we go, just a bit further, Arthur thinks.

" _Mer_ lin," Arthur urges again. He picks up his speed, his free hand firmly massaging Merlin's arse cheek before lowering beneath his other hand to press two fingers against Merlin's clit.

He hears a squeak and manages to catch the word ' _come_ ' whispered breathlessly.

Grinning with hungry delight, Arthur keeps working him over, "What's that now? If I don't put it in, then you'll come?"

Merlin sobs then, voice growing louder as he mindlessly chatters, "Come, coming, I'm gonna - _Arthur_."

And then he does just that, choking on his breath as an orgasm rocks through his body. Arthur marvels at the way his back seizes into a curve, his legs shaking as his hips rut either into or away from Arthur's hand; it's hard to tell. Merlin gasps and moans and Arthur gives in then and there.

"All right, you've convinced me," he says teasingly before lowering his shorts and pressing the tip of his cock against Merlin's hole in warning before finally pushing into his soaking wet cunt.

The sudden intrusion by something so much larger despite the work of Arthur's fingers - still mid-orgasm, no less - makes Merlin gasp loudly, turning into heaving breaths and moans as Arthur starts thrusting in earnest. 

"You bastard," he manages and Arthur chuckles quietly.

"You quite literally asked for it," he retorts, voice thready with his own pleasure. Merlin shakes his head in lieu of answering and Arthur considers this many victories all in one go. 

He grins and picks up his pace, rolling his hips as he presses his length into Merlin's body to reach different angles. Every other thrust earns a new sound and Arthur revels in it, grips tightly into Merlin's hips as he snaps his own and gloats in it as he brings them both closer to falling apart.

Merlin's body trembles in every inch and Arthur watches his arms slipping between the need to hold himself up and the instinct to grab at something for purchase. It sparks an idea that has Arthur licking his lips in anticipation.

"Merlin," he purrs sweetly, slowing his thrusts to bring Merlin's attention back to him. As he slowly turns to look at Arthur, blue eyes blown wide in arousal and bitten red lips parted on gasping breaths, Arthur questions how long he'll really be able to draw this out. 

"Grab a pillow," he instructs, stopping altogether and nodding his head toward one when Merlin frowns in confusion.

It takes a moment but Merlin drags one of his pillows over, and Arthur tells him to hold onto it as he presses a hand between Merlin's shoulder blades and gently pushes him all the way down until his face and shoulders meet the cushion. Merlin groans at the new position, but Arthur slides his hand down his spine to gently urge his torso as low as it can go too, leaving his chest and abdomen pressed into the mattress while his hips remain high in the air.

Satisfied, Arthur slowly pulls out ( hissing at the same time Merlin whimpers from the loss of pressure ) and repositions himself. One hand gripped tight at Merlin's hip, the other guides his cock to line up perfectly with Merlin's hole so he can _slam_ back inside at the new angle.

Merlin's body lurches and he cries out loudly as Arthur's cockhead drags across a new bundle of nerves buried deep inside his body. Arthur returns to a steady pace, fucking into him while pulling him back by the hips to drive even further in. Then _yes_ , there are the screams Arthur was hoping to hear. It seems Merlin can no longer hold back his voice at all as he gasps and moans with every thrust.

"Ah, _ah_ \- Arthur," Merlin cries, practically sobbing. "Oh gods, oh - _there_ , oh _fuck_."

Arthur laughs breathlessly, "There?" and holds that angle, keeps thrusting until Merlin sobs out " _yes_ , there, fuck _fuck_."

It's not long for either of them like this. Arthur grunts as he feels his orgasm building, fingertips digging into the soft pale of Merlin's skin. 

"Fuck, Merlin…" he croaks, sucking in deep breaths to think past the haze of lust. An idea from earlier returns through the fog and Arthur follows it in a rush, placing one hand at the back of Merlin's neck and dragging his nails along his spine to his tailbone. It leaves a tantalizing trail of bright red scratch marks, and far more importantly - Merlin's body convulses with the sensation, shaking from head to toe and quivering inside as another orgasm is torn out of him.

His cry then is one of agonizing pleasure and Arthur manages one, two, three more thrusts before he's following Merlin over the same cliff. He gasps as he comes, his cock throbbing with his release while Merlin's walls continue pulsing around him.

It feels way too bloody good, and Arthur droops forward as all the energy rushes out of him. His hands fall to either side of Merlin's shoulders, hovering just over him with his cock still buried deep inside. He has to stop, breathe. Sweat drips from Arthur's forehead to Merlin's back and he watches as the flushed skin, marred by bruises from teeth and tongue and nails, heaves with Merlin's labored breathing. 

The room seems louder than ever with only their panting between them. Arthur isn't sure how much time passes before he returns to himself, but he comes to with a groan.

He's got to move. He manages a kiss to the back of Merlin's head ( one side of the French braid is somehow still in place, while the other is a _disaster_ ) as Arthur straightens out, hissing a little when his softening cock slips free from Merlin's body. 

Taking a moment to breathe and steady himself, Arthur stands on shaky legs, shucking his shorts to the ground. There's a water bottle on his bedside that's not terribly far from Merlin's bed, but with sex brain weighing heavy on him, it seems like a lost job.

It's not until he hears a long, ragged ' _fuuuck_ ' come from the heaping pile behind him that Arthur finds a reason to focus. He turns around to find Merlin _slowly_ letting his legs slide down the mattress, practically melting into it in a sheen of sweat and come. 

There, from this perspective - Merlin is a work of art. The curving expanse of his body, from shoulders to arse to long, slender legs. Raven black hair curling around him wildly. Milky white skin flushed from exertion and the stark contrast of the marks Arthur put there, the darker red of scratches and bite marks and handprints.

Handprints. There are handprints that cover Merlin's hip bones and the plump swell of his arse, bright red and _obvious_. Arthur may be able to speak blatant vulgarities to fluster Merlin, but something about that is what sends a warm fluttering through Arthur's gut. Perhaps a small bit of self-consciousness, but far more than that, a deep possessive thrum of desire.

Arthur wants him. Gods help him, but in this moment, he wants Merlin more than he can recall wanting anything else in this lifetime.

As if on cue in that truly uncanny way of his, Merlin shifts against his pillow just enough to peek over his shoulder at Arthur. Their gazes meet, and while they're both naked after an enthusiastic go at each other for the second time today, Arthur oddly feels more exposed by the warmth in his cheeks when he catches one glimpse of Merlin's blue eyes and can't help but smile.

 _Fuck_. He wants him. And it has fuck all to do with the current state of his body.

Arthur shakes his head to clear his thoughts, ignores the lure of those blown-wide blue eyes and decides to return to the original plan of badgering each other. He licks his lips and smiles again, then without any forewarning… he slaps a nice, flat hand against the swell of Merlin's arse. Merlin yelps and Arthur laughs, the spell broken as he finds the will to cross the room and grab his water. 

" _Ow_! What is wrong with you?" Merlin gripes, finally rolling over to properly stretch his limbs with a drawn out groan. "I swear, you only live to torment me."

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Arthur asks innocently to a frustrated _tch_ sound. After a few deep, thirsty gulps of water, he crosses the room again to offer Merlin the open bottle. A quiet smirk works its way to his lips when Merlin struggles to sit up, another long string of grunts as he stretches his arms and manages to plant his feet over the side of the bed.

When he accepts the bottle, Merlin pointedly glances to where Arthur's limp cock hangs just at his line of sight, seems to unconsciously lick his lips, then looks up and away from Arthur in a flash. Arthur bites back a smirk; tempting, but he lets it drop for now, trudging back to his bed on heavy feet so he can rest in the comfortable plush of his sheets. Sex is fun and _exhausting_ , a double edged sword as it were. Not wanting to fall asleep necessarily though, Arthur pushes his pillows aside to sit flush with the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him. It helps relax the flow of his blood and Arthur exhales softly, feeling the warmth of climax and contentment wash over him. 

That warmth turns into a weight settling into his lap as Arthur opens his eyes to find Merlin climbing onto the bed with him. He straddles Arthur's thighs, hair brushed back behind his shoulders, and plants his hands against Arthur's chest before looking up at him shyly. _Shyly_ , nervous still as he's stark nude and dripping with Arthur's come.

It makes Arthur shake his head in fond exasperation and steady a hand at Merlin's thigh, the other rising to cup his cheek gently. Relief visibly washes over him as Merlin closes his eyes and leans into the touch, turning to kiss his palm briefly before leaning in to kiss his lips. Arthur sighs and slips his hand to the base of Merlin's skull to pull him in deeper, mouths pressed together and tongues seeking with gasping breaths passed between them.

For all that it feels demanding, it doesn't feel urgent; comfortable and relaxed, insistent but languid too. They kiss like they've done it a million times before, as if this flagrant sexual contact didn't start only this morning. It just comes naturally again, a silent pull at their core that let them become fast friends and somehow now fast lovers.

They fall into each other seamlessly, like two pieces of the same puzzle, or two sides of the same -

Arthur breaks the kiss with a gasp and Merlin follows suit, reeling backward as though the wind was knocked out of him. It leaves his neck exposed, so Arthur plants a trail of slow kisses there too, following it down to the bite marks and bruises at Merlin's shoulder.

Merlin laughs, airy but a bit on the delirious side, and wraps his arms around Arthur's neck. "I hate you. How do you even manage to be good at kissing too?"

"I already told you, I'm good at everything," Arthur replies with a lazy smile. From where they're buried beneath Merlin's hair, Arthur lightly drags the pads of his fingers down his back again. Merlin shivers in perfect correspondence with the movement of his hand, his body tensing along the path he trails. Arthur beams, "I knew it. You have a sensitive back."

"Shut up!" Merlin retorts indignantly, blushing as though it's embarrassing. Arthur thinks it's delightful but perhaps that's the bully in him again. Then after a second of silence, he admits quietly, "It's never felt like that before."

"Your back?"

"Not really, I mean…"

"The sex?" Arthur gives a pointed glance to Merlin's chest and then back to his face, "I should think not."

"That's not what I mean either, you prat! Although yeah, I s'ppose that too," Merlin says as he rolls his eyes. "No, I mean that - I've done… _things_ before," the words come awkwardly, and then he gives a soft huff, "but nothing has ever felt like that. Like… electricity, or like -"

"Magic?" Arthur interrupts without really meaning to, as surprised as Merlin when the word passes his lips. 

But it just makes sense. That pull between them, that easy comfort, the quiet well of emotions that Arthur is only just beginning to realize is bottomless.

It all overflows with the way Merlin smiles in response, face lighting up like the morning sun. There's joy and gratitude, incredulity and relief. The wonder of being understood, of being in tune beyond the point of needing words to explain themselves or describe their connection.

It's trust, and it's love. But when it collides together, the spark between them that fans into a flame when they touch each other -

It's magic. Of course it is.

After all, Merlin's the expert.

Merlin closes the distance between them by pressing their foreheads together, still grinning as he shakes his head faintly. They stay there like that, close and comfortable, until Merlin lifts a hand to Arthur's cheek and ducks his head to kiss him again. There is a renewed hunger this time as they nip at each other's lips and crowd into the tight space between them, rocking their bodies together just so.

Arthur feels himself getting hard again and Merlin does too, from the way he inhales sharply and rolls his hips forward in an overt tease. He growls a little in response; Merlin laughs breathlessly and tugs Arthur's lower lip between his teeth before pulling away and squirming out of Arthur's lap. Before Arthur can complain, Merlin scoots down the length of Arthur's legs and settles comfortably on hands and elbows as he props himself up over Arthur's cock.

The intent is clear when Merlin glances up to Arthur once, licks his lips, and then lowers himself to start lapping along Arthur's length. There's a quiet _thud_ as Arthur's head falls back against the headboard, eyes closed and mouth parted as he feels the warmth of Merlin's mouth wrap around him. It isn't long before Merlin works him to fully hard, but as Arthur feels that pleasure building in him, Merlin makes a disgruntled noise and pops off with a huff.

Arthur opens his eyes again to find Merlin wrestling with his hair where it's slid over his love bitten shoulder. Caught off guard between being turned on and being woefully endeared, Arthur laughs breathlessly and earns a baleful glare in return.

"Here," he offers, still smiling in amusement as he reaches out to help collect Merlin's long, wavy hair into one bunch. When it's as together as it can be, Arthur twists the rope of hair once and then fists it tightly at the base of Merlin's skull, trapping it there. The movement tugs on Merlin a little and Arthur watches as his lips part in surprise, a small gasp before he catches Arthur's gaze and looks away with a furious blush.

Arthur can't help smirking faintly, "Better?"

Merlin opts for nodding over trying to speak and Arthur's hand follows the motion. The tangle of hair stays in place though, so Merlin takes a moment to collect himself before he nervously lowers his head again.

Like this, it's easier to see Merlin's face as he closes his eyes and licks the head of Arthur's cock. The fan of his eyelashes across his flushed cheeks, the ruby red of his lips stretched wide as he takes Arthur in his mouth again, the soft moan so faint Arthur struggles to differentiate it from his own. But it's all written there on his face, and as Arthur holds his hair in place, he can feel every shift and bob of Merlin's head beneath his fingers. 

" _Fuck_ ," he breathes out. This is hot and he's so painfully turned on. 

He squeezes the bundle of hair just enough to put pressure on Merlin's scalp again, and goes a bit faint when it makes Merlin go slack jawed as he gasps. A primal urge in Arthur moves him to buck his hips and push his cock deeper into Merlin's mouth, just a little. They both moan again, and before Arthur can think to apologize for thrusting without warning, Merlin rushes forward to swallow his cock down even further.

And that, _fuck_ \- Arthur moans and lets his head fall back against the headboard, feels his entire body melting into the warmth of Merlin's mouth. It's almost too much.

"Fuck, Merlin…" With great remorse, Arthur groans through gritted teeth and fists Merlin's hair to pull him off of his prick before he pops. The scoundrel has the audacity to gasp in surprised pleasure at the sudden use of force, and then look up at Arthur with a guileless innocence in his darkened eyes. Arthur releases a shaky exhale. 

"As amazing as this feels, if you don't put it in soon," he makes certain Merlin catches his meaningful gaze when he smiles, too blissed out to properly tease him when he says frankly, "I will come. And then I will be useless to you for the rest of the evening."

A smile almost makes its way to Merlin's lips, amused as ever in their back and forth banter of mocking one another to up the ante ad infinitum - but then he registers the context, the tease, the challenge added by Arthur's smirk. His almost-laughter turns into pursed lips, cherry-red cheeks, and a minute shake of his head instead.

Arthur may be ridiculous but in fairness, Merlin started it.

He seems to make a decision and touches Arthur's wrist, silently urging him to release his hair and letting it slide down his back again. When he sits back and looks up at Arthur again, it's with a lift to his chin and determination in his gaze. Never one to be outdone, even though he's always the first to fold in the end.

"Lie down," he says and shifts out the way enough for Arthur to do so as he obliges without question.

After pulling the pillows back to the headboard and laying down in them comfortably, Arthur deliberately stretches his whole body as he relaxes into the mattress. Arms outstretched, feet pointing forward, hips and arse tensing, for just a few glorious seconds. With a satisfied sigh, he tucks his hands beneath his pillows and finally fixes Merlin with a lopsided smile.

At his groin, his cock is hard and heavy and on full display. Arthur paints the picture of comfortable and confident, hoping Merlin understands the message. 

But then, he might not and Arthur supposes he can't blame him this time, given that Merlin still hasn't stopped staring at Arthur's prick since he settled. _Obvious_. What an idiot.

"Promise you won't laugh or I'm moving out," Arthur says smartly after a few seconds, startling Merlin out of his reverie. Arthur grins, mischief bright in his eyes as he reminds Merlin where this all began. He is as comfortable in his own body as he is with Merlin's now, surprise though it may have been at first. This doesn't have to be weird for them, either which way.

When he returns to normal, Arthur is still going to want to shag his brains out. And he has absolutely no shame in that.

Plus he's a football player and works hard to keep himself fit, and he has no shame in that either.

Merlin takes a moment to let amusement finally win out, exasperated fondness shining in his eyes. He climbs back into Arthur's lap, purposely positioning his wet folds to rest against Arthur's cock in a tease and a promise - then barely wastes a moment before leaning back in to kiss him. Arthur meets him readily, holding Merlin at the waist as they stay there like that for longer than Arthur can really tell.

His hands slide up and down Merlin's back before settling at his arse, and then Arthur finally breaks the kiss to look up at him as he rocks against Merlin's cunt meaningfully, rubbing his cock against his slit.

Merlin's eyes flutter shut and he opens his mouth in a quiet moan. He's startlingly beautiful like this, Arthur realizes, entranced by his softened features and the faint lilt to his higher pitched voice. Merlin decides to sit up then, planting his hands against Arthur's abs and letting the full weight of his hips settle onto Arthur's groin. The slippery pressure makes him dizzy as he groans, fingers scratching idly into Merlin's arse as his hands flex in shocked pleasure. 

This time, Merlin is letting himself stand on display, perky breasts and a lustful glint to his eyes as he looks down at Arthur. There it is again, that heart stuttering feeling that Merlin has him ensnared in a web, all too willing to be eaten.

He licks his lips hungrily and Merlin smiles in return, a comfort and confidence to him as he raises up to position the tip of Arthur's cock at his entrance. It takes a few tries (to Arthur's frustrated grunts as it unintentionally rubs the sensitive head against him) before Merlin makes a pleased gasp and sinks down onto Arthur's cock.

They both moan, rocking together to work his prick deeper into Merlin's body until he's fully seated. Merlin sits up straight for a moment and presses the back of a hand to his mouth as Arthur reaches in _deep_ , his cockhead pressing up insistently.

 _Beautiful_. Arthur's breath comes heavy as he looks at Merlin like this, impaled on his cock and chest - _bosom_ \- heaving. Most of the red marks from this morning are gone by now but there's a lingering flush to his breasts. The bites along his neck and shoulders though, those shine brightly and Arthur revels in the sight of it all.

Merlin catches his gaze and smirks a little, cheeky despite their current circumstances, "I thought, like this…" he licks his lips, "we ought to take advantage while we can."

Oh, Arthur is so beyond ruined. He can't find it in him to respond to another tease; his hips buck without him, his aching desire pulling Merlin in deeper with a firm push. Merlin cries out in breathless laughter and takes it as his cue, starting up a shaky rhythm of pumping his cunt up and down Arthur's length. Calling on that Herculean self-restraint from earlier, Arthur holds himself back from going at it from beneath, just knowing it will finish them both off too soon.

Instead he takes a firm hold of Merlin's waist, helping to steady him somewhat while bringing his other hand to his breast. He grasps at it, massaging into the soft tissue with biting fingers, occasionally catching the nipple between them in a brief pinch. It makes Merlin's moans pitch higher and Arthur wants _more_ , takes his other breast in hand and squeezes at them both to Merlin's increased pleasure.

Arthur could come like this far too easily. He groans, eyes shut to breathe through the intensity of his arousal before he opens them again to let Merlin's expressions of ecstasy wash over him. His parted lips, bitten red and beautiful, and the dampness at his long black eyelashes fuel that aching need deep inside Arthur, that desire to claim and possess every inch of him.

Bollocks and a half, he may well have to go for it before it's too late.

Without any preamble, Arthur bends his knees to plant his feet against the mattress for support, then takes Merlin's narrow hips into both hands to get the exact amount of leverage he needs. Merlin only has a moment to look intrigued before Arthur demonstrates his intentions exactly, thrusting his hips upward at the same time he forcefully rolls Merlin's back down onto his cock. It throws Merlin off his rhythm as he cries out in surprise, and then Arthur takes over completely as he fucks into Merlin and lets gravity pull them both back down, down, _deeper_ into his soft, warm, wet…

"Merlin," Arthur whispers, surprised at the rough sound of his voice and even more so that Merlin manages to hear it. His eyes open from where they were tightly clenched shut, bright blue turned glassy as he looks down at Arthur with a drunken expression of euphoria. There was no intent behind calling his name, but as soon as their eyes meet, Arthur suddenly finds himself rasping insistently, "Touch yourself."

Merlin's body jolts like he's been struck by lightning at the suggestion ( maybe their sex is electric after all ), a shiver of arousal washing over him. He sits up fully and raises his right hand to his lips, letting the first two fingers slip past them to reach his tongue. Arthur's vision blurs for a few seconds but he forces himself to focus so he can watch as Merlin lowers his hand between them to rub his clit. He all but shouts, gasps, sobs as he becomes more sensitive and tighter on the inside.

 _Fuck_. Fuck, fuck -

" _Fuck_ ," Arthur wheezes, burning up inside from the force of a second orgasm building in intensity. His thrusts become frenzied, fingertips digging into Merlin's thighs as he gapes and stares, mesmerized by the sight of Merlin falling apart right in front of him - on top of him, around him, _fuck_.

When Merlin comes, it ripples across the surface of him as he shakes from his core all the way out to his fingertips and toes in waves. That's it, and then Arthur's coming harder than he can remember as his hands grind Merlin down into his lap and hold him there, rocking gently as he releases deep inside.

Once again, Arthur has no clue how many seconds or minutes or hours pass before the crash of his orgasm fades enough for reality to slip back in. He finds Merlin still convulsing faintly, a hand trying to cover his mouth only to cause another whimper when shaky fingers brush over hypersensitive lips.

Now there's a full-bodied orgasm if Arthur's ever seen one. And compared to this, now he's not so sure he ever really has.

He gentles Merlin down by reaching for him, taking him by the hands and slowly folding him across his chest, head tucked against Arthur's shoulder. They melt into each other, out of breath and desperately gasping for the same air. Sweaty and sticky in all the places their bodies touch, Merlin trembling and Arthur softening as he holds him close.

Neither of them make any attempt to move for quite some time. Arthur knows they must, but even he isn't convinced when he mutters, "We should clean you up."

A vague "mn" is all he hears in return from the suddenly leaden mass bearing down on him. Intentionally or otherwise, Merlin squirms and presses even further into Arthur, nosing along his neck as he settles in close.

Arthur sighs fondly, squeezing his arms as they're wrapped around Merlin, "Fine. We can have another cuddle. But we can't fall asleep, all right?"

Merlin answers with another unintelligible "mm", so Arthur gives him a playful shake.

" _Mer_ lin."

"Okay!"

"Okay?"

" _Yes_ ," Merlin sighs, deflating.

Satisfied enough, Arthur kisses the top of his head before resting his cheek against it with a private smile, "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jfc this is now the longest fic I've ever posted on ao3 I am MORTIFIED SHRIEKS LMAO


End file.
